Bus drivers, police officers and Reporter staff apart, very little formal work was done on May 1 – Labor Day. But the monthly fiestas don’t stop there – they continue non-stop for the rest of the month.

Recent letters to the editor indicate that some people aren’t doing their homework when it comes to crossing international borders – in this case to Mexico – with their pets. Nor do they appear to give adequate consideration to their pets’ comfort when making their travel arrangements.

There’s a less welcome aspect of spring that sneaks in with Jalisco’s sunshine and heat. Gastro-intestinal illnesses are the second most common reason for seeking medical attention, in both Jalisco and Mexico. And the microbes that cause them thrive in the season’s warmer temperatures.

United States citizens who plan to be living or visiting Mexico in November must act early in order to ensure they are registered to vote, and aligned to vote via absentee ballot for the 2014 election.

Mexico’s economy relies on a positive trade balance to maintain growth and social peace. Limiting importations remains at the heart of its global policy and dodging the World Trade Organization rules has become an art form.